Note: the "W" and "R" variants are also supported (for example, RT-N66R, RT-AC68W).

The primary goals of this project are to fix bugs, add a few basic features and tweaks to the original firmware. This firmware will try to remain as close as possible to the original firmware. If you are looking for a slew of advanced features, then this project is not for you. Look at TomatoUSB or DD-WRT, two excellent products that might suit your needs better.

If however you prefer something as close as possible to the manufacturer's firmware, then this is for you

Features:

Asuswrt-merlin provides the following changes over the original firmware:

System:

Various bugfixes and optimizations

Some components were updated to newer versions, for improved stability and security

Persistent JFFS partition

User scripts that run on specific events

Cron jobs

Ability to customize the config files used by the router services

LED control - put your Dark Knight in Stealth Mode by turning off all LEDs

Entware easy setup script (alternative to Optware - the two are mutually exclusive)

SNMP support

Disk sharing:

Optionally use shorter share names (folder name only)

Disk spindown after user-configurable inactivity timeout

NFS sharing (through webui)

Better compatibility with 3TB+ and Advanced Format HDDs

Networking:

Force acting as a Master Browser

Act as a WINS server

SSHD

Allows tweaking TCP/UDP connection tracking timeouts

CIFS client support (for mounting remote SMB share on the router)

Layer7 iptables matching (N16/N66/AC66 only)

User-defined options for WAN DHCP queries (required by some ISPs)

Improved NAT loopback (based on code from phuzi0n from the DD-WRT forums)

Advanced OpenVPN client and server support (all models except RT-N16)

Option to control Spanning-Tree Protocol support.

Netfilter ipset module, for efficient blacklist implementation

Configurable min/max UPNP ports

IPSec kernel support (except AC87U)

DNS-based Filtering, can be applied globally or per client

Custom DDNS (through a user script)

Advanced NAT loopback (as an alternative to the default one)

Web interface:

Improved client list, with DHCP hostnames

Optionally save traffic stats to disk (USB or JFFS partition)

Enhanced traffic monitoring: added monthly, as well as per IP monitoring

Name field on the DHCP reservation list and Wireless ACL list

System info summary page

Wireless client IP and hostname on the Wireless Log page

Wifi icon reports the state of both radios

Display the Ethernet port states

The various MAC/IP selection pulldowns will also display hostnames when possible instead of just NetBIOS names